Hose handling structure for transferring fluid material between ship and shore



NOV. 24, 1959 slLVESTON 2,914,080

HOSE HANDLING STRUCTURE FOR TRANSFERRING FLUID MATERIAL BETWEEN SHIP ANDSHORE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 10, 1957 an /se 35 5 i \e w 1 3 s i HIII M W/ w INW'ENTORI Q/f l I 1 ATTORNEY?!- Nov. 24, 1959 a. SILVESTON2,914,080

HOSE HANDLING STRUCTURE FOR TRANSFERRING FLUID MATERIAL BETWEEN SHIP ANDSHORE Filed May 10, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MAGNETIC CT'WEIGHT5 waam BOOMI 7 L53 TIT Y al-szb BEAM lNVENTOR i Barnettsilnredtm TTORNEY$ UnitedStates Patent HOSE HANDLING STRUCTURE FOR TRANSFER- IS II I%%EFLUIDMATERIAL BETWEEN SHIP AND Barnett Silveston, Forest Hills, N.Y.,assignor to Tippetts- Abbett-McCarthy-Stratton, New York, N .Y., apartnership Application May 10, 1957, Serial No. 658,293

Claims. (Cl. 137-236) This invention relates to novel hose handlingstructure for transferring fluids between ship and shore installations.

. In the transfer of fluid material such as oil between a ship and ashore installation, serious problems exist with respect to the hoses orfluid transfer lines through which the fluid is transferred between theship and the shore installations. Among the problems present are theadjustment of and the prevention of damage to the hoses or transferlines resulting from the fact that the level of the ship relative to theshore changes frequently with tidal changes and also because of changesin the weight of the ship as it takes on or discharges cargo. Otherproblems involve the encumbrance of the wharf space by the hoses.Additional problems arise with respect to the hoses in use which onoccasion tend to kink when they become slack as a result of changes inthe level of the ship relative to its wharf.

In addition the hoses themselves are cumbersome and comparatively heavy.Their handling and movement between a storage position and an. attachingposition re quire the provision of mechanism that will permit easyconnection and disconnection of the out-shore ends of the hoses with theship at the beginning and at the completion of load transfer operations.

Principal objects and features of this invention are to provide simpleefficient arrangements requiring minimum labor for the convenientpositioning of the outer or ofi-shore ends of cargo hoses or transferlines on a wharf for their connection to the manifold of the ship andtheir return to the wharf for storage.

Further objects and features of the invention are the provision of anarrangement of this character in which the connected hoses will beautomatically adjusted, as

the ship rises and falls during unloading and loading operations so thata substantially uniform tension will be maintained on all the hoseswhile they remain connected to the ship without the necessity for anoperator in attendance.

. Further objects and features of the invention are the provision of anarrangement of the character described wherein the hoses may be storedduring periods of non use without encumbering the wharf space.'

Additional objects and features of the invention are the provision of anarrangement which will eliminate excessive wear on the hoses duringtheir use thus prolonging their useful lives. 1

Other objects and features of this invention will become apparent; fromthe following description'and the accompanying drawings, wherein: t

. Figure 1 is an elevational view partially in section of a hosehandling arrangement embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a view taken along the plane of line 2-2 ofFigure. 1; t

Figure 3 is a view taken along the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 1 and vFigure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the up pei'portion of thearrangement of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of an electrical control systemthat may be used with the arrangement of this invention.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character T denotes generally aship or tanker tied up to a wharf W and between which a fluid load is tobe transferred. A tower or super structure denoted generally by thecharacter is erected on and fixed to the wharf platform. This tower 10comprises generally the vertical columns 11 and 12 joined by cross beams13. As many pairs of vertical columns 11 and 12 may be utilized as isdesired, preferably two.

Pipelines 14 in any number desired (only one of which is shown) from ashore located position, for example, a tank (not shown) terminate abovethe wharf deck in valves 15 and a hose connector 16 to which any desiredQ manifold of the vessel or tanker T which is provided with appropriateconnecting members 21. It is intended that the flexible hoses 17 havetheir inshore ends 18 coupled permanently to the wharf connector 16while their offshore ends 19 are removably and selectively coupled torespective connecting members 21 of the manifold 20 on the ship ortanker T.

a A pair of spaced apart collars 22 and 22a secured to each hose 17adjacent its offshore end and each provided respectively with hook eyes23 and 23a are removably attachable to the hooks 24 and 24a, arrangedrespectively at the opposite ends of a length of cable 25. The cable 25is supported on the pulley of a pulley block 26, which latter in turn isfastened to a carrying beam 27. The cable 25 and pulleys 26 correspondin number to the ,hoses 17 and serve respectively to removably suspendthe individual hoses from the carrying beam.

The beam 27 in turn is suspended by the cables 28 which are wound ontothe hoist or winch 30 which is carried at the outer end of a boom frame31 and is adapted to be driven or rotated in elevating and loweringdirection, as for example, by the motor 32 equipped, if desired, with aconventional magnetic brake 33. The motor 32 and its magnetic brake 33may be controlled by appropriate switches at a conveniently located con-3 trol panel P situated at any desired position on the wharf deck.

The boom or frame 31 is pivotally supported by the trunnions 34 from theoffshore sides of the tower legs 11 so that the boom or frame 31 may beconveniently swung about its trunnions 34 as may be required forelevating and lowering of the boom. Cables 35 passing around framesupported pulleys 36 and 360 each has one of its ends anchored at 37 inany conventional way to the tower columns 11. The other ends of thecables i= 35 after being passed over pulleys 36a (Fig. 3) are connectedin conventional way to the drum 38 of a motor driven winch 39. Thiswinch 39 may be conveniently provided with a magnetic brake 4th of anyconventional construction so that energizing of the motor and the 1"brake by appropriate switches on the control panel P Z apart collars 41and 41a.

hereinabove mentioned will serve to elevate or lower passing over thepulley of a pulley block 43. Each pulley block 43 is secured to an endof a cable 44 which in turn passes around a sheave 45. The pulleysheaves 45 are individually supported in bearings 46 of appropri-.

ate kind that are carried on a cross bar 47 secured to the columnsll ofthe tower 10. In the embodiment shown five hoses 17 are provided. Inconsequence five cables 44 are provided and five sheaves 45 areprovided, one for each of the cables 44. The respective cables 4-4 alsopass over respective sheaves 4S individually supported in bearings 50carried on a cross bar 49 secured to an upper cross beam 13 of the tower10. Each cable 44 has its other end attached to a counterweight 51. Fiveindependent counterweights 51, each one secured to an end of a differentone of the cables 44, are provided. These counterweights 51 are movablevertically upwardly and downwardly in the guideways 52 which areprovided between the inshore vertical columns 12 of the tower '10. Theindependent counterweights 51A are each suspended from one end of anindependent cable 53 the other end of which is secured to a winding drum54 of a winch motor 55 also provided with a conventional magnetic brake56. Each counterweight 51A is suspended below its correspondingcounterweight 51 so that when desired each counterweight 51 may beelevated by elevating the appropriate counterweight 51A. Thus forpurposes presently to be described, each individual one of thecounterweights 51 may be independently elevated or lowered when itsparticular winch motor 55 and associated magnetic brake 56 areappropriately energized. The appropriate energization of the motors 55and the magnetic brakes 56 may likewise be effected by-suitable controlswitches located on the control panel P.

As is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 5, the panel P is equippedwith independent switches Sc. for the selective operation of therespective counterweight motors 55, with the switch Sb for the operationof the boom motor 39 and with the switch Sch for the operation of thecarrying beam motor 32. The magnetic brakes associated with therespective motors are appropriately controlled by rheostat switches Rsthat also may be located on the panel P for convenient operation.

It is to be understood that although the elevating mechanisms for thecarrying beam 27, for the boom 31. and for the counterweights 51A havebeen conveniently described as electric winches any or all of theseelevating or lowering mechanisms may be replaced by hydraulic or airoperated mechanisms of conventional kinds or by other suitable operatingmeans.

Operation When not in use, the valves 15 are closed and the flexiblehoses 17 are maintained in the full line upright position shown inFigure 1. At this time the hanging beam 27 is in its extreme elevatedposition as is the boom frame 31. When the tanker or ship T has beenappropriately moored to the wharf W the winch motor 39 is energized insuch direction as to permit its cables 35 to lower the boom or frame 31about its trunnions 34 to the dotted-line position shown in Figure 1. Atthe same time, the winch 32 is operated to permit the cables 28 to lowerthe hanging beam 27. At the same time, the counterweights 51A and 51 areelevated by operation of the Winch motors 55 so that the respectivecables 44 are free to permit lowering of the mid-points of therespective hoses 17. These described cable lowering operations arecarried out to bring the offshore ends ll of the respective hoses 17into convenient attaching position relative to the couplings 21 of theships manifold 20 irrespective of any particular level at which the shipmay be with respect to the wharf.

The selected hoses 17 then have their particular offshore terminal endsconnected to the respective couplings 21 of the manifold 20. Theselected hoses then are uncoupled from the carrying beam 27 bydisconnection of the hooks 24 and 24a from the eyes 23 and 23a of thecollars 22 and 22a of such selected hoses. Carrying beam winch motor 32is then operated to raise the cables 28'and thus again elevate thecarrying beam 27. At the same time the boom controlling winch motor 39is operated to cause cables 35 to again elevate the boom 51 to its fullline position of-Figure 1. Simultaneously the motors 55 of thecounterweights 51A associated with the hoses 17 are operated to lowercounterweights 51A and 51. In consequence, the unselected hoses 17 arelifted clear of the wharf deck to their initial positions shown in fullline in Figure 1 while the selected hoses 17 remain coupled to the shipmanifold 20 as shown in full line in Figure 1. The valves of selectedhoses 17 are then opened.

The counterweights 51 having been released by lowering thecounterweights 51A, are free to tension the cables 44 which areconnected to the mid-points of the selected hoses 17 through collars 41and 41a and cables 42. The effect then of the counterweights '51 on theselected 'hoses is to maintain the mid-points of these hoses 17 in anelevated condition relative to the deck of the wharf and taut so as toprevent kinking. On rises of the tanker or ship T for example to itsbroken line position in Figure l,

the selected hoses will nevertheless have their mid-points maintained inthe elevated condition because of the counter-balancing action-of thecounterweights 51 which latter also will tend to maintain substantiallythe same tautness .or tension on the selected hoses 17 which are coupledto the manifold 20 of the ship or tanker T. If during such rises orfallsof the ship or tanker T the latter should move away from the wharfto a reasonable extent the counter-balancing action of the correspondingcounterweights 51 will still act to maintain uniform tautness or tensionin the connected hoses.

When loading operations have been completed, the boom or frame 31 isagain lowered as is the carrying beam 27. The open valves 15 of theselected hoses are closed and the said hoses are disconnected from themanifold 20. The hooks 24 and 24a are reconnected to the collars 22 and22a of the respective uncoupled hoses 17 thus again attaching them tothe hanging beam 27. The carrying beam 27 and the boom 31 are then againelevated restoring all the hoses to the .full line position of Figure lwhich is the storing position therefor. Thus the hoses .are maintainedclear of the wharf deck when not in use and well within the face of thewharf. A noteworthy factor is that even during use all of the hoses aremaintained clear of the wharf deck as well as of guard rails or of thedeck of the ship so that wear on the hoses at all times due to contactabrasion is eliminated. Moreover, the carrying beam and boom arrangementpermits convenient and ready handling of relatively massive hoses forconnection and disconnection with a minimum of effort on the part of theoperator.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, variations in structural detail within the scope of theappended claims are possible and are contemplated. There is nointention, therefore, of limitation to the exact details shown anddescribed.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for facilitating the transfer of fluid loads betweenship and shore installations, hose handling structure of the characterdescribed comprising pivotally supported boom means, a carrying beamsupported from the boom means, flexible hoses supported independentlyfrom the carrying beam, means for lowering and raising theboom meansabout its pivotal support, means for lowering and raising the carryingbeam relative to said boom means, means for coupling and uncoupling eachflexible hose independently from said carrying beam whereby all saidhoses may be lowered together from an elevated storage position onlowering of said boom means and of said carrying beam, selected of saidhoses then connected as desired and respectively uncoupled from saidcarrying beam and thereafter-11nselected hoses returned to elevatedstorage position upon re-elevation of said carrying beam and of saidflbbom means to initial'positions, and individual counterweighting meansfor each hose connected to an intermediate portion thereof formaintaining substantially uniform tautness on each connected hoseregardless of positional changes therein while it remains connected.

2 In apparatus for facilitating the transfer of fluid loads between shipand shore installations, hose handling structure of the characterdescribed comprising pivotally supported boom means, a carrying beamsupported by the boom means, flexible hoses supported independently fromthe carrying beam, cable means for lowering and raising the boom meansabout its pivotal support, cable means for lowering and raising thecarrying beam independently relative to said boom means, means forcoupling and uncoupling each flexible hose independently of saidcarrying beam, and independent counterweight means for each hose andmeans to connect respective of said counterweight means to themidportion of each hose, whereby all of said hoses may be loweredtogether from an elevated storage position on lowering of said boommeans and of said carrying beam, selected of said hoses then connectedas desired and respectively uncoupled from said carrying beam andthereafter unselected hoses returned to elevated storage position uponre-elevation of said carrying beam and of said boom means to initialpositions and said individual counterweight means serving to maintainuniform tautness on each connected hose regardless of positional changestherein while it remains connected.

3. In apparatus for facilitating the transfer of fluid loads betweenship and shore installations, hose handling structure comprising,pivotally supported boom means operable from an elevated position to alowered position, a carrying beam supported from the boom means,flexible hoses suspended independently from the carrying beam and eachhaving a permanently connected end and an unattached end for attachmentas desired, means for lowering and elevating the boom means about itspivotal support, means for lowering and raising the carrying beamrelative to said boom means, means for coupling and uncoupling each hoseindependently from said carrying beam, independent counterweight meansfor each hose and means for attaching respective of said counterweightmeans independently to approximately the mid-points of respective hoseswhereby all of the hoses may be lowered together from an elevatedposition on lowering of said boom means and of said carrying beam tobring the unattached ends of the hoses into position for attachment asdesired, then selected of said hose ends attached as desired and saidselected hoses uncoupled from said carrying beam and thereafter theunselected hoses returned to elevated storage position upon re-elevationof said carrying beam and of said boom means to initial positions andsaid independent counterweight means serving to maintain uniformtautness in each hose Whose unattached end has been attached as desiredregardless of positional changes therein while it remains attached.

4. In apparatus for facilitating the transfer of fluid loads betweenship and short installations, hose handling carrying beam supported fromsaid boom means, flexible hoses suspended independently from thecarrying beam, cable means for lowering and elevating the boom meansabout its pivotal support, cable means for lowering and raising thecarrying beam relative to the boom means, means for coupling anduncoupling each flexible hose independently from said carrying beam,independent counterweight means for each hose and means for attachingrespective of said counterweight means independently to approximatelythe mid-points of respective hoses, whereby all of the hoses may belowered together from an elevated position on lowering of said boommeans and of said carrying beam, selected of said hoses then connectedas desired and respectively uncoupled from said carrying beam andthereafter unselected hoses returned to elevated storage position uponre-elevation of said carrying beam and said boom means to initialpositions and said independent counterweight means serving to maintainsubstantially uniform tautness on each connected hose regardless ofpositional changes therein while it remains connected.

5. In apparatus for facilitating the transfer of fluid loads betweenship and shore installations, hose handling structure of the characterdescribed comprising pivotally supported boom means, a carrying beamsupported by the boom means, flexible hoses supported independently fromthe carrying beam, cable means for lowering and raising the carryingbeam independently relative to said boom means, pulley blocks on thecarrying beam, detachable cables for the respective hoses mountable overrespective pulley blocks, and removably attachable to the respectivehoses for coupling and uncoupling each flexible hose independently fromsaid carrying beam, and independent counterweight means for themid-portion of each hose, whereby all of said hoses may be loweredtogether from an elevated storage position on lowering of said boommeans and of said carrying beam,

selected of said hoses then connected as desired and respectivelyuncoupled from said carrying beam by detachment of the detachable cablesfrom the pulley blocks on the carrying beam over which they are mounted,and whereby unselected hoses may then be returned to elevated storageposition on re-elevation of said carry ing beam and said boom means toinitial positions, and said independent counterweight means serving tomaintain substantially uniform tautness in each connected hoseregardless of positional changes therein while it remains connected.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS716,962 Torchiani Dec. 30, 1902 1,478,925 Steed Dec. 25, 1923 1,680,831White Aug. 14, 1928 2,771,617 Brackx Nov. 27, 1956 2,818,891 Loeser Jan.7, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 532,271 Great Britain Jan. 21, 1941

